May 14, 2009

IRVING, Texas -

Six Kansas baseball players have been honored by the Big 12 as part of the Academic All-Conference teams which were released Thursday. Seniors Nick Faunce and Paul Smyth as well as sophomores Casey Lytle and T.J. Walz were named First Team Academic All-Big 12, while junior Shaeffer Hall and sophomore Tony Thompson received Second Team honors.

Nominated by each institution’s directors of student-athlete support services and media relations offices, the baseball academic all-league squad consisted of 52 First Team members combined with 19 on the Second Team. First Team members have recorded a 3.20 GPA or better, while the Second Team is made up of players with a GPA between 3.19 and 3.00.

The six total academic all-conference selections are the most by Kansas since 2007, when the Jayhawks also placed four student-athletes on the First Team and two on the Second Team.

Baylor led the league, having 11 student-athletes honored overall, including nine First Team selections.

The Jayhawks (35-18 overall, 13-11 in Big 12) will face No. 11 Kansas State in a three-game series this weekend. First pitch is Friday in Manhattan, Kan. at 6:30 p.m.